Zero Ex El
by WhatHaveWeDone
Summary: snippets of story I have written as missing scenes / alternative scenes for The Long Reach Parts 1 and 2. Any more I write will also go in here, unless it's a full blown longer fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Just a small section to add some much needed John - Virgil conversation**

* * *

John gently floated down into the co-pilot's seat, Virgil starting the complex procedures needed to undock Two from the Zero XL.

"Think you can remember where everything is?" he asked, him only a quick glance.

"I flew Two _last week _Virgil, I'm not a goldfish."

"You _hovered _her. From orbit. It's not the same."

"You just concentrate on flying, let me worry about remembering where the cup holders are."

Virgil snorted, but did as he was told, unlocking the docking clamps and easing the green giant free.

John took a few surreptitious glances around the flight deck. In truth it was very different being in the machine than controlling it from high above, and it had been months since he had stepped foot into any other Thunderbird than his own. Maybe if he needed to he could call up one of his holographic displays, control Two that way. At least it would be laid out the way he was used to.

"You ready?" Virgil asked as they cleared the Zero XL.

"Not really." John replied, talking about more than just his familiarity with this machine. As ever Virgil knew how to read below the surface, to understand what John actually meant without him having to be explicit.

"Me neither. Shall we go get dad?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Where was EOS? Dunno! But this is where I want her to have been.**

* * *

The Zero XL was powering up and _they weren't on it. _Virgil and John exchanged a worried look – way past worried really: if the ship left without them... the only tried and tested space worthy 'bird was attached to the Zero XL and John really didn't want to test the others out.

"Brains isn't responding, and I'm locked out" he broadcast to his brothers.

"There must be something you can do."

"Not me, EOS." he said with determination.

The chirpy AI had been quiet for weeks now, devoted to the complex calculations and algorithms that had successfully flung them to this very precise point in the infinite vastness of the universe, and more importantly would navigate them back. John had been running dispatch and comms on his own again and it had hammered home just how much he had come to rely on his unusual companion: her task had demanded all of her processing power – she was blind to almost everything else.

John flicked to a sub- wavelength, one that was reserved for direct communication into the heart of Thunderbird Five: the only input she had that wasn't zeros and ones.

"I know you can hear me EOS." John spoke directly to her, calling to where she was nestled into the main core of Five. "I need you to stop for a moment – stop the Zero XL."

The ship wouldn't shut down completely without her but the T-drive certainly wouldn't work. Brains could do the necessary calculations and adjustments by hand but not before they had completed manual boarding.

"Who's EOS?" Jeff asked from behind them, leaning up on one arm yet again, despite Virgil's instance otherwise.

"It's a long story." John muttered, anxiously waiting for any sort of change in his readings. Gordon took this opportunity to butt in.

"She's an artificial intelligence that John accidently created. She almost killed him, then John made friends and now she lives on Five."

John's shoulders tensed – as if he wasn't already on edge enough – and deliberately didn't turn around to see what his father thought of that.

"I see." drawled Jeff and John winced. That was exactly the same tone he'd used when John had come home from school and declared that he wanted to live in space. Unsure of how seriously to take it; unsure what his reaction should be.

"Thanks Gordon. Not so long a story apparently." John snapped at his little brother, getting only a chuckle in response.

Luckily they didn't have time to delve much deeper into that particular piece of history their dad had missed, for the blinding burst of the T-drive engine stuttered and failed. She had heard! Once more she had come through for them.

"Prepare to dock."


	3. Chapter 3

_another small snippet, because Gordon had to go put his foot in it :)_

* * *

Jeff still couldn't quite believe it. He was sitting by the pool, ice cold fruit juice in hand, watching the sun set. On Earth. With his family. Years of isolation and difficult living conditions had almost seared away any belief that this would actually happen, warped the memory of it to a dream. But here he was. Fresh air. Gentle breeze. Sound of the nearby ocean.

Perfection.

"Need anything Dad?" Scott said, appearing behind him.

"No. There is nothing more I need."

"Then I'll say good night. I think everyone else is in bed but if you need a hand to get upstairs" he was still adjusting to Earth's gravity, "give a shout for EOS – she can wake us up."

Jeff frowned, remembering something that soiled this perfection.

"Actually, there is something I wanted to talk to you about," he gestured to the lounger opposite where Scott moved to perch, and lowered his voice. "I want to ask you about EOS."

"What about her?"

"Gordon said something back on the Zero XL that concerned me so I dug out the mission report. I thought he was joking but," Jeff shook his head "that AI actually tried to kill John."

"Thanks Gordon," Scott muttered "Well, yes. In a manner of speaking."

"No 'manner of speaking'. She shut him out an airlock." And didn't Jeff know exactly what it felt like to be on his own without a comforting layer atmosphere around him. It has been his life for too long, nearly his death on a couple of occasions. "He was very lucky that he survived and even luckier he didn't suffer brain damage."

"I know. Believe me I know."

"Then why is it still on Thunderbird Five?"

"I thought this was coming and had hoped John would be the one that you'd have this conversation with." Scott shifted, nervous or uncomfortable.

"Look Scott, I'm so proud of how the family have pulled together while I was errr _gone_, but you were in charge. I respect almost every decision you've made - even if wouldn't have made quite the same ones – but this one I don't understand."

Scott gave him a steady look, jaw firm, nervousness gone. "I think what you don't understand how we've been working while you were away. There's been a lot less of 'in charge' than you suppose. If I had tried that we might have had an organisation but we sure as hell wouldn't have had a family left."

"There has to be some sort of command structure though..."

"We have it when we need it, but most of the time we don't need it. This was one of those times."

"So you just all decided to trust it five minutes after it tried to kill your brother."

"Not at all. Don't think we haven't had a hundred conversations about this. Don't think I haven't had sleepless nights. But in the end it just came down to trusting John, and his judgement. He made the call after he and EOS came to an understanding."

"An understanding? And you let it stay." Jeff said disapprovingly.

"She chose to stay. And since that day she's saved John's life several times, saved everyone I think. Without her we wouldn't have been able to bring you home."

Was that true? Jeff would have to spend a lot more time on the mission reports, paying particular attention to the AI's involvement.

"And I know what you're going to think next." Scott continued, passionate. "She could turn on us at any time. I've had that nightmare too. What if she logically decides we need to be eliminated? What if her programming gets corrupted or she gets a virus? But if you stop thinking of her as a machine and start thinking of her a person it becomes much simpler. She's not going to endanger us – endanger John – any more than Brains would."

"Brains is family."

"So is EOS."

"That's... quite a statement." Jeff said softly.

Scott gave a slight smile. "Sure is. Took a long time to get here as well, so don't worry if you're not in the same place."

Scott stood, stretching. "I need to get some sleep. John trusts EOS and that's rubbed us on the rest of us. Have a chat with them someday soon and you'll see." Scott gave a nod in good night, and sauntered back to the house, once again leaving Jeff alone.

Alone, but much less lonely than he had become accustomed to.

There was much he would have to become re-accustomed to, much to learn about how his family now worked and his place within it. EOS would be top of the list.


End file.
